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Survival of the fittest: it’s a phrase we hear often. You must grow and survive or be destroyed by those more capable than you. Agar.io is a game that takes that idea to heart. It’s simple, eat or be eaten. Take advantage of those weaker than you to survive. This may sound like a gruesome gladiator-esque game, but it’s not. Agar.io combines simple gaming mechanics with an online element to produce an addictive game.
In Agar.io you play as a simple cell. In order for your cell to grow you must absorb smaller cells, but be wary of the cells bigger than you who are trying to do the same thing. This type of game is certainly not new. In fact, one of our most addictive games is very similar. However, Agar.io has a few more tricks that make it even more addictive and fun.
As your cell gets larger it also gets slower. This makes it hard for you to track down smaller cells and absorb them. In order to catch other cells you have a couple maneuvers to choose from. The “split” maneuver will project half of your mass in the direction you’re aiming. This allows you to shoot yourself at other cells, but you better make sure they are smaller than half your size. You’ll also want to make sure there are no large cells waiting to gobble you up once you’re split in two.
The second maneuver allows you to eject smalls parts of your mass. Doing this will make you smaller, but it can come in handy at certain times. For example, if you need to quickly escape you can shed some mass to be able to move faster. You could also shoot some mass into another cell to slow it down. Both of these maneuvers play a large part in the strategy of the game. You can’t just slowly move around and expect to do anything.
The last thing that makes Agar.io so great is the online element. You’re not just playing against a bunch of computer-guided cells. All of the other cells you see are being controlled by other humans like you. In the top right corner of the screen you can bring up a leaderboard. You can see which player is currently the biggest on the map, and see what place you’re in. It adds a competitive element to the game that makes it 10 times more addictive.
The controls for Agar.io work relatively well. To move you simply drag your finger anywhere on the display. It’s not as easy as playing on the web version, but it works for a mobile device. We’d love to see a way to navigate with the accelerometer. Overall, it works pretty well, and it’s a good way to play the game while you’re on the go. You can download Agar.io for Android right here for free. Maybe we’ll see you in the game!
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